Arlington, Va., Aug. 23, 2023 – Hoteliers from across the nation’s capital region gathered Tuesday in Arlington, Va. for the Washington DC Area Regional Conference & Trade Show as part of the regional conference series by AAHOA, the Asian American Hotel Owners Association.
The event featured local hoteliers and vendors for a day of networking, a trade show, and professional education. The event included a discussion regarding the prevention of human trafficking and offers the BEST Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training, sponsored by AAHOA, as well as an education session about succession planning.
Congressman Don Beyer of Virginia’s Eighth District and Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey addressed the conference by video.
AAHOA Members also heard from Maryland Secretary of State Susan Lee; Embassy of India Minister of Community & Personnel Jag Mohan; Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association President Eric Terry; Maryland Hotel & Lodging Association Vice President of Operations Melissa Simpson; Arlington Economic Development Director Ryan Touhill; and CBRE Senior Vice President Michael Cummings.
AAHOA Members own 52% of hotels in the District of Columbia, 66% of hotels in Maryland, and 66.7% of hotels in Virginia, making them an integral part of the region’s hospitality industry.
“The AAHOA Regionals are a great way for AAHOA Members and other local hoteliers to learn, network, and grow with one another,” said AAHOA Chairman Bharat Patel. “We appreciated the insights from our speakers at the Washington DC Area Regional. We’re grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with leading business and public sector leaders to advance the hospitality industry.”
As the voice of more than 20,000 hoteliers, representing more than half of the industry, AAHOA has been advocating for policies that uplift small businesses, address workforce shortages, and help entrepreneurs gain access to capital and other tools they need to build their businesses. AAHOA leaders have met with dozens of federal and state lawmakers and their offices around the country to help create a climate for success.
“Forging and reinforcing relations with policymakers and local leaders strengthens AAHOA, and fulfills one of our key goals of being the voice for all hoteliers across the country,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee Blake. “It is always important to remind elected officials that their decisions affect small business owners like our hoteliers – and the relationships we’re developing today will make a difference tomorrow.”
